Penelope Cruz

It's been a big week for premieres this time round, with two major films each being introduced on opposite sides of the world. In Los Angeles, Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson took to the red carpet to promote final Twilight film, Breaking Dawn Part 2, while over here in Sydney Daniel Craig and his leading ladies Naomie Harris and Berenice Marlohe showed off new Bond film, Skyfall. It wasn't just premiere's keeping celebrities busy — we watched Taylor Swift do her thing on stage at the MTV Europe Music Awards while her ex, Jake Gyllenhaal, showed off his mystery girlfriend as they held hands walking around New York. Then there was the fashionable event that was the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Awards (where Emma Stone was a total knockout) and a sighting of the cute Garner-Affleck family — sans one member. There's a whole lot more to see, so click through and catch up on the week that was!

Penelope Cruz joined her Twice Born co-stars, including Emile Hirsch, at a press conference in Toronto yesterday. The movie, which was filmed in Rome last year, was previously titled Venuto al Mondo. Emile is coming off his drama, Savages, to promote the project, while Penelope has been in London working on her next film, The Counselor, with husband Javier Bardem and Cameron Diaz. Penelope and Emile still have a busy few days ahead of them with two more events scheduled before TIFF ends on Sunday!

Penélope Cruz covers W's upcoming September issue. She spoke about her upcoming film, Venuto al Mondo, in the publication, as well as her most recent Woody Allen collaboration, To Rome With Love. Penélope spoke about her career and relationships with directors like Woody and Spain's Pedro Almodovar. She also touched on working with her husband, Javier Bardem, and her secret to acting in a comedy. Here are highlights from Penélope in W:

• On working in foreign languages with Woody: "He gave [her and Javier] the [Vicky Cristina Barcelona] script he wrote in English, and he gave us the freedom to translate and improvise. Woody told me recently that he still doesn’t know if we are talking about the atomic bomb. And it's the same thing in To Rome With Love — he doesn't speak Italian. I translated my lines. So he still doesn't know what I am saying."
• On working in English, not her native language: "There is a part of your brain that has to stop when you're acting. You have to be in the moment and dare to fly. Words can't be on your mind. And yet, when you are working in a foreign language, you have to be thinking about the words every single second. It's difficult, but I'm not complaining. It's just the way it is."
• The key to acting in a comedy: "I don't play comedy as comedy. That would be the biggest trap. I think about the characters and their situations. Then you don't have to worry where the laugh is going to be. But comedy is harder than drama."

Photos courtesy Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott for W

The 2012 Summer Olympics start today! Stars around the world will tune in to see the games or, if they're lucky, may be able to check out sporting events in person. More than 200 countries sent athletes to compete in London. The opening ceremony is taking place right now, so we're rounding up some of our favourite celebrities from participating nations. Click through to see which countries these stars represent.